Lady Victoria
by Mrsfillylover
Summary: Arthur WAS a teenager once, right? So that means he's had a lot of crushes and a few dates! This is just a quick look at what happens when Uther disapproves. ArthurXoc in the beginning but my Oc leaves after ch1 Rated for safety
1. Part I

**A/N Inspired by "Two Very Different Coins" by Loopstagirl, helped along by season3 episode10 of Merlin**.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin**

With a wry smile Arthur extended his arm to Victoria, "Would you care to join me for a ride?"

Giving a slight laugh, the young girl slipped her arm daintily through Arthur's already outstretched one. "I would be honoured."

Deftly ignoring the snickers from the surrounding guards, Arthur helped Lady Victoria get settled in her saddle and swung himself up onto Llamreigh's leather clad back. He grinned sheepishly at the girl next to him and nudged his bay horse into a trot, leading Victoria away from the castle.

They rode through the forest for almost an hour before scoping out a comfortable place by the river where they could watch the water fowl swim by. Victoria had obviously had the deciding vote in where they settled for the afternoon, the main reason for this being that, despite his many hunting trips, Arthur had not the faintest clue of a good location for such an outing. Being a prince, Arthur had rarely been allowed time to just relax and explore the woods that clothed his home. He had never been granted the liberty to take a day for himself and go for a ride. No, as soon as he had reached an age of adequate comprehension Arthur had been studying and training day in and day out. Finally, at the arrival of a Lord's family in Camelot, the prince had a valid excuse to escape the confines of the palace. The Lady Victoria had been only too willing to accompany him on a short excursion to the woods and Arthur, though he intended to keep it a secret, was thoroughly enjoying himself.

As the young pair listened to the gentle trickling of water and playful whistling of the spring breeze Victoria attempted to strike up a conversation, "It's different out here, isn't it? You don't have to pretend to be a respectable noble- or royal, in your case- when you're really just a kid."

Almost absentmindedly, Arthur allowed his tongue to override his brain and replied with a perfectly valid - perfectly honest - statement, "I said as much to my father once."

Although it had certainly not been the young prince's intention, the mood dampened considerably. Victoria's eyes widened, "Really? What did he do?"

Arthur frowned as he realised that his answer would likely relate entirely to a majority of his childhood and therefore not be at all similar to that of his friend's. "The usual; had me 'escorted' to my chambers, locked in, gave me a long talk about how he's my king before being my father, and banned me from seeing Llamreigh and Caval for a week."

The young Lady bit her lip and softened her gaze concernedly at his words. "I apologize, I didn't mean to-"

The rest of his words were cut off by the most unfamiliar, yet pleasant, sensation Arthur believed he would ever experience: soft lips pressed gently against his own. Both children being inexperienced in this particular field, it did not last long. At the moment of pulling away from Victoria, Arthur was slightly disappointed by the lack of sunbeams dancing through her white-blonde hair and fiery love burning in her blue eyes. That was what the entertainers sang of at festivals, that was what he had read in the books he wasn't supposed to read. What he saw instead was a nervous thirteen year-old girl shyly tucking a blonde curl behind her ear with an anxious curiosity glimmering behind her pale blue eyes.

For a moment the prince was simply struck dumb before recovering and clearing his throat nervously. "Well... I... you? ...huh?" It was not the most intelligent thing he had ever said.

Victoria opened her mouth to respond but quickly closed it again at the sound of a twig snapping off to her right. The pair froze. Arthur was well-aware that bandits often roamed these woods and was under no illusions that they wouldn't be happy to pick up a young prince and noble girl. Silent as the night, Arthur stood and pulled his sword up with him. He crept to the source of the noise, prepared himself for an attack, and pulled back the bush once obscuring a man hunched over with the hopes of concealing himself.

The prince rolled his eyes as he recognized the man, he was a servant. One with the irritating habit of lurking in the palace corridors, his beady, little, rat-like eyes flitting from face to face.

"Get up," the fourteen year-old ordered boredly. He had already slipped back into being the prince (a spoiled, arrogant teenager) rather than Arthur (a good-natured, though slightly cocky, young boy).

Scrambling to his feet, the wisp of a man curled his scrawny body into a deep bow. "Sire," he murmured.

"Why is it that you're here? I gave no reason for anyone to follow us," his voice was cool and distant and Arthur could feel Victoria's incredulous stare boring into the back of his head as he confronted the small man.

"The- the king said that someone must accompany you on any trip outside of the city gates." Arthur closed his eyes, let out a sigh of frustration and ran his fingers through his hair in a manner that absolutely appalled his father.

"Fine," he said holding up his hands as if to keep his own emotions at bay. "Fine. We'll just... Victoria?" The young girl looked up from where she had most definitely not been watching the prince to see that he had moved to crouch next to her.

"Yes?"

"This man is under orders from my father to follow us and report anything he sees. I think it would be best if we turned back now." The hushed tone in which he was speaking held his words back from the spy's ears but allowed his obvious resentment to the fact to flow through quite clearly.

She nodded, "Of course, if that's what you think is best."

Inwardly Arthur was hooting with relief that Victoria hadn't questioned his father sending someone to spy on his son. Outwardly he simply smiled gratefully and offered her a hand to her feet.

"Go back to the castle," Arthur said to the servant, "tell no one of what you saw here, I will report to my father myself."

"Yes, sire," the servant then bolted to Camelot.

Arthur turned back to Victoria, "I'm sorry for all this. My father... he doesn't trust me as much as I would like."

She nodded empathetically, "Let's go back to the castle."


	2. Part II

**A/N Inspired by**_** Two Very Different Coins by Loopstagirl**_** helped along by season 3 episode 10 of **_**Merlin**_****

Disclaimer: I do not own _**Merlin**_****

When Arthur entered the dining hall that evening he saw that his father's gaze was much colder than usual. The king's eyes followed his son as he took his place at the other end of the long, dark-wood table.

"Good evening, father," Arthur greeted.

"What did you do this afternoon?" Uther questioned, not bothering to greet his son.

Slightly perturbed by the sudden question, Arthur took a moment to answer, "I-I went for a ride."

"Alone?"

The young prince swallowed nervously, "No, no, not alone..." Uther gestured for him to continue, "I went with the Lady Victoria."

Uther seemed to have gotten the response he wanted, as he leaned back against the high-backed, wooden chair. "It seems you have been seeing quite a bit of her. Tell me Arthur, how is it that Lady Victoria, merely a knight-made-lord's daughter, has attracted your affections? Do you not think that it would be more... appropriate for you to be spending your afternoons with someone more your level?"

Arthur gritted his teeth and took a deep breath, struggling to contain his stream of retorts, "I was merely showing Victoria what Camelot-"

"Thrown all titles aside aswell, have you?"

Closing his eyes for a brief moment Arthur continued, "I was merely showing _Lady _Victoria what Camelot's countryside has to offer. We're friends."

"Mmm," hummed Uther, nodding slowly, "and friends often end up on the banks of a stream kissing?"

Shaking his head in contempt Arthur slumped back in his chair, "He told you."

"Of course he did! No matter how many orders you give, I outrank you. Now, to business," Arthur just gaped at his father's words, "You will have no more contact with this... Lady," Uther announced.

"What? Why?"

"Your courting of Lady Victoria will spread to the neighboring kingdoms, leading them to believe that you will not be marrying one of their princesses."

"But I won't be! I don't want one of their princesses!"

"Arthur, you are prince of Camelot, marrying to benefit the kingdom is simply how things are done."

"Father, this is NOT fair! I have the right to choose!"

"Do not talk to me about your rights," Uther spat viciously, "I am your father and your king, and that is my final word."

Arthur could feel his temper rising, though he made no attempt to control it. He leapt to his feet, slamming a fist down on the polished wooden table. "There's nothing you can do to stop me seeing Victoria!"

"Guards!" Two door guards filed their way into the dining hall and gave Uther short bows, "Take my son to the dungeons, he is to remain there until Lord Godwin's family has left Camelot and Arthur is ready to show me some respect."

"No!" Arthur cried as the guards gripped his upper arms and steered him from the hall, "Father, you can't do this!"

He recieved no response.

~{-}~

Arthur fought against the guards' grip all the way down to the dungeons. Of course, it was useless, him being a meager fourteen years whilst the guards were fully grown as well as fully trained.

"Let me go!" he growled as they decended the staircase to the cells.

"Sorry, sire," came the gruff voice of the guard on his left, "there's nothing we can do."

The prince's struggles returned with more vigor as a cell door was opened in front of him. One hard shove later and he was on his knees within the confines of the cell. 'Well this is just great,' Arthur thought bitterly, as he kicked the pile of straw in the corner, 'I can't even tell Victoria what's happening.'

"Might I say good bye to Arthur before we leave?" the light haired girl asked eagerly as she tacked up her horse.

"I don't think so, Victoria, not this time," her father said, slightly saddened at the thought of taking his daughter away from one of the select few people who could make her smile.

She was just a girl, barely into her teens. A child. How much harm did Uther think she and Arthur could possibly do? Victoria frowned at the response but didn't question her father further. She would miss Arthur. Truly she would, he had shown her so many wonderful things in the foreign city and had made her feel quite a few... foreign things when he kissed her.

The thirteen year-old had not been told that Arthur was being punished for being with her. A young boy, punished for spending time with a girl he cared about.


End file.
